SoC Power Management Circuit for IP Core Energy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional system-on-chip (SoC) designs face limitations in reducing power consumption, particularly when controlling intellectual property cores, as they require additional power for adjustments and processes, leading to increased energy usage and latency.
Innovation Solution
The SoC incorporates a power management circuit and transaction unit that dynamically control power supply to IP cores based on their operation states, such as normal, stand-by, sleep, and wake-up modes, using techniques like dynamic voltage frequency scaling and power gating, and sets threshold values tailored to each core's characteristics to minimize latency and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the SoC uses preset program operations to control power consumption of IP cores, then power consumption can be managed, but additional power consumption occurs for adjustment and processing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The transaction unit autonomously monitors data transactions between IP cores and memory devices, automatically determines operation states, and controls power supply without requiring processor intervention or complex preset programs. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional adjustment and processing operations while maintaining effective power management.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the SoC implements dynamic power control based on data transactions, then power consumption is reduced, but latency may increase due to power state transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power supply states based on real-time data transaction monitoring. The transaction unit continuously tracks transaction states and automatically transitions IP cores between operational modes (normal, stand-by, sleep, wake-up) to optimize the balance between power consumption and latency, adapting to varying workload conditions without fixed delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The transaction unit provides continuous feedback on data transaction status to the power management circuit, enabling real-time adjustment of power supply states. This feedback mechanism ensures that power control decisions are based on actual transaction needs, minimizing unnecessary state transitions and reducing latency while maintaining low power consumption.
3Extent of automation
If the SoC uses a processor to control power management, then centralized control is achieved, but the processor becomes a bottleneck and additional power is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The power management functionality is extracted from the processor and implemented as a dedicated transaction unit that operates independently. This transaction unit monitors data transactions and controls power supply to IP cores without requiring processor involvement, eliminating the processor bottleneck and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining effective centralized control.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the SoC implements multiple power modes for IP cores, then power consumption is optimized, but the control mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The power management control mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the transaction unit monitors data transactions, determines operation states, and the power management circuit executes power control. This segmentation simplifies the overall control mechanism by dividing complex power management tasks into manageable functions, making the multi-mode power control more implementable and maintainable.
Data Source
AI summary
A system-on-chip (SoC) which includes a plurality of intellectual properties (IP cores) which communicate data with a memory device operates by monitoring whether a data transaction occurs between at least one of the IP cores and the memory device, determining an operation state of the IP core according to the result of the monitoring, and supplying the IP core with power corresponding to the operation state of the IP core.